Delhi: 22-year-old falls off Signature Bridge, dies
A 22-year-old man, identified as Ashish Kumar, died after his car hit a concrete barrier on the roadside on Delhi's Signature Bridge on Thursday. After the impact, he flew out of the car through the window and fell 40 feet under the bridge. Subsequently, the police registered a case of rash driving at the Timarpur police station. Here's what happened.
According to police, Ashish was accompanied by three other friends: Vishal (17), Rishabh (20) and Yash (17). Out of them, Vishal suffered injuries while the other two were unhurt. Notably, Ashish was driving the SUV and Vishal was sitting next to him. Neither of them was wearing seat belts. The accident took place at around 4 AM, when vehicle's speed was more than 100kmph.
According to Nupur Prasad, Deputy Commissioner of Police (North), the four friends had left their homes in Delhi's Shahdara to eat paranthas. However, they decided to go for a drive on the Signature Bridge after ordering food as the eatery was crowded. According to a police officer involved in the investigation, the accident occurred as Ashish lost control while taking a sharp turn.
The officer said, "The speeding SUV crossed the Signature Bridge and was taking a left turn on the loop road towards Majnu ka Tilla. In a bid to overtake another car, Ashish took a sharp right turn but lost control over the vehicle."
Ashish tried to change the course of the vehicle after hitting the concrete barrier to keep the car from falling off but he failed to control it. "As a result, the SUV's right tire climbed onto the barrier three-four times because of which it burst and the axle broke," the police officer added. Finally, a sudden jerk burst a tire and threw Ashish away.
Meanwhile, Vishal suffered injuries while the other two escaped unhurt. When the police reached the spot after a passerby called the control room, Vishal was rushed to a hospital in Kaushambi by the other two. The statements of all the three survivors have been recorded by the police.
While Vishal and Yash study in Class X and Class XI respectively, Rishabh is currently pursuing BCA via correspondence. The deceased, Ashish Kumar, was in B.Com final year. Ashish had messaged Vishal, who got his father's SUV, to join him.
A similar incident was reported last year in November, just a few days after the bridge's inauguration. Two medical students died as they fell from the bridge, from a height of around 30 feet, after the biker's foot allegedly got caught in a stray of wire hanging from the streetlight. However, the police suspected that they were taking selfie while riding the bike.
